Put Interlaken, Switzerland on your list of must-see places. Easily reached by train, this quaint city is surrounded by alps and offers hiking, boating, and my favorite – paragliding. From high above the city, you can get great views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau Mountains. At 13,642 feet, the Jungfrau is the highest mountain in Europe.
This was my first experience at paragliding. Our group drove along a steeply winding road to the top of a 4,000 foot mountain. There I was strapped into a harness, in tandem with my pilot. The two of us ran together down a muddy slope until the wind caught our parachute and pulled us up into the air. It was an incredibly quiet and smooth ride, with brilliant blue skies and wispy clouds above us, turquoise lakes below us, and snow-covered alps stretched out in the distance.
We stayed at the Hotel Royal-St Georges on the main street of Interlaken, within walking distance of the train station, numerous restaurants, and most importantly, a fantastic chocolate store which we visited several times. A lovely park across the street, which served as the landing site for the paragliders, was rimmed by several churches and colorful flowers.
What are some of your favorite travel spots? I look forward to hearing about them on Facebook.
Frances Aylor 